Forward Bound
by EverythingIsMagic
Summary: Lacus ClynexKira Yamato- ONESHOT As an evening storm descends upon their island home, Lacus and Kira find themselves at the beachfront sharing a special moment with one another. Post-SEED, Pre-DESTINY.


**Author's Note-** This is a one shot written for a community called 'seed fic test' on livejournal. It won second, which really blew me away. This is the first time I've written for this fandom. Hopefully it won't be the last. I greatly enjoyed writing this pairing. It's absolutely adorable.

This one-shot takes place_ post_ SEED but _pre_ SEED DESTINY.

**Forward Bound**

_By Kelly O'Connor_

* * *

The breeze picked up and carried itself across the shoreline, carrying with it the scent of sea salts, the resonant, calls of frigate birds and gentle zephyrs brought on by the evening tide.

As the evening tide inched its way up the beach, a solitary figure took a deep breath to relish the refreshing sea-borne scents.

Digging her bare feet into the sand, she shivered involuntarily as the air coming from the sea gradually became cooler. A sudden gust of wind blew strands of her thick pink hair across her face and Lacus Clyne felt one side of her mouth quirk down in the tiniest of frowns.

"Hmm." Placing her hand above her forehead and glancing up to the vast Earth-sky, she blinked.

"Oh dear, it looks like it's going to rain."

In the distance, barely audible over the sounds of the sea, Lacus made out the familiar sound of children. The orphans Reverend Malchio provided a home for were undeniably lively. Her lips turned up in a smile at the thought of the children, and the other occupants of their home.

Lacus enjoyed spending this solitary time at the sea side in the evening. Even a girl who enjoyed the company of others as much as she did had the desire to spend moments alone.

Before the end of the war, Lacus had spent a lot of her fleeting free time alone. Her home had been a castle, filled with luxury and her extensive collection of haro. At times Reverend Malchio would visit and her father whisked by as often as he could with his busy lifestyle. While it was true that much of her life was spent being shuttled across the galaxy for her career as a songstress, she didn't truly have the opportunity to manifest close bonds with many people she'd encountered.

_At that time, I never really considered myself alone. I had the chance to share myself and my words with the world through my singing, and that was enough for me… I wasn't alone._

Whipping her face away from the sea, she made out the small church in the distance. _But now I really am never alone, and to be honest it is kind of a new feeling. _

A loud crash brought Lacus's attention back to the ocean, and she stepped back as a storm-sent wave crashed upon the shore. "Oh my, it's starting already."

* * *

As the inklings of rain began to fall upon the island, Reverend Malchio gathered up the children and ushered them inside for the night.

Once he'd escorted them all into the church, the blind man stretched and sat himself down on the wooden porch bench. There was one more child still outside…

"Kira?"

"Hmm?" the brown-haired boy shifted on the bench beside him.

"Has Lacus returned yet?" He queried.

"Huh?" Kira's eyes widened, "Uhm, no she's not yet."

Pointing his cane outwards, the Reverend nodded. "The wind is picking up and the rain has already begun."

"Right, I'm going to go check on her right now." The teenager got up and brushed his front off, grabbing an umbrella from a stand near the door sill.

Swiftly, he sped down the short set of stairs and began heading towards a certain area of the beach.

A certain area.

It was the place that Lacus always ventured when she decided to take a stroll across the shore. He wondered if it held some kind of significance to her, but had yet to work up the courage to ask.

Nonetheless, he knew she would be there. In this tiny spot of beach that he would be approaching within moments.

* * *

The rain had intensified, beating down around her in a melodic manner. Lacus hummed, intertwining her rhythm with that of the rain. Hugging her shoulders, she sighed.

"Hmm, I really should have worn a coat," she averted her gaze to the sky and bit her lip as she spotted a flash of lightning in the distance. "Oh well… I've been waiting for this…"

"Lacus, there you are!" A familiar voice yelled out over the din.

Pivoting around, the pink-haired girl smiled. "Kira! Good evening."

"Aren't you going to come back? The weather is getting worse." Unfurling his umbrella, he moved it towards Lacus and made sure it covered her head.

"Oh my, it is getting late isn't it?" She laughed lightly. "I'm afraid I'll be staying out here though."

"What, but why?" Kira blinked and furrowed his brows.

"Because I'm waiting for something awfully exciting to happen," Lacus alluded.

"Uh, what?" he gripped the handle of the umbrella tighter, yielding an incoming gust of wind from taking it away. "It's probably not safe for you…"

Ignoring his concern, the young woman glanced up towards the luminous full moon. "I think it should be starting very soon."

"Huh?"

_Does this have anything to do with why she comes here?_

Eyes wandering over to the girl he'd come to share a home with, he took a deep breath.

"Say Lacus, why do you come to this beach so often?" Kira queried.

Closing her eyes and breathing in the smell of sea and rainwater, she answered. "This place is very special to me. When I was young, my father brought me to earth at times to visit Reverend Malchio here. I always loved it, and I discovered many things that I'd never have the opportunity to see back home in the PLANTS."

"Like what?"

"Well like this thunderstorm for example," the teenager giggled. "Earth really is a wonderful place. Our homes may have everything we need and pleasantries, but this world is full of so many surprises."

Looking distant, Kira shook his head. "I think I liked heliopolis just fine without surprises…"

"Hmm, not all surprises are bad Kira Yamato," she retorted. "You'll see."

"I'll see?"

The rain had calmed to a steady fall, not changing for the better or worse.

"It's too bad that it had to rain tonight, but they'll still appear…"

"Appear?"

Letting out a short gasp of recognition, Lacus's mouth formed into a joyful grin.

"There's one!" she pointed to a spot in the sand.

"What?" He followed her direction, and batted an eyelid.

Digging its way out of the sand with tiny newly developed flippers and eyes squinted was…

"A sea turtle?"

"Tonight is the night they hatch," Lacus explained. "There should be hundreds of them. Every year their mothers come here and lay eggs. When I was young Reverend Malchio showed it to me, and I've always tried to come see it since then. Before the war I came every year." As she continued, the timbre of her voice grew quiet and wistful.

"Things have changed a lot…" Kira remarked.

"Indeed," she agreed. "More are popping up, look!"

As a matter of fact, hundreds of tiny turtle heads were burrowing out from under the sand. After doing so, they wasted no time in pushing themselves towards the ocean with their small leathery flippers.

"They're… going to the ocean?" Kira questioned, worry apparent. "They're so small. Aren't their mothers coming for them?"

"Do you not know about sea turtles?" Lacus wondered.

"No, not really. I'd never been to earth before it all happened," he shrugged.

"I'm surprised." Stepping out from under the umbrella, the young woman halted as she came to a hole a turtle was emerging from at that very instant. Kira followed.

"This little turtle may never see its mother again," Lacus began. "Once a mother has laid her eggs, she leaves them behind to hatch."

"She just leaves them?" He responded.

"They have to survive on their own, even though there are a lot of predators out to get them."

The petite wonder had forced itself out of the nest, and Kira and Lacus watched it as it pushed its way towards the surf.

"Most of them don't make it…" she finished, resigned to the harsh reality.

The little turtle continued trekking, missing the path of the birds of prey that hovered above the nesting ground.

Kira winced. "And if they make it to the ocean, they could just get eaten there."

"But Kira, you know what?" She smiled congenially.

"Hmm?"

"Growing up for sea turtles is really hard, but in the end they become strong and wise because of all the hardships they've been through," she paused and met her eyes with his. "Almost no one in the ocean can hurt them."

Hesitantly, Kira placed his arm around her waist as they watched the little creature quest on. To the tiny turtle, the journey to the waves was quite lengthy.

"Mm," Lacus leaned into his touch. "It does seem to be a tragedy doesn't it?"

Shuddering as he saw a hawk swipe up another baby out of the corner of his vision, he subconsciously tightened his hold on his companion.

The rain had begun to increase, causing the view of the turtles to be somewhat hazy.

"Will they get lost? You can barely see in this rain." He fretted aloud.

"They know where to go. they're born with that knowledge." Lacus clarified.

_Born with it huh? Just like with us, the knowledge we're born with determines where we are to go and the person we should be. Or that's how people believe it should be anyway… _

"But Kira, you know…"

"Huh?"

She leaned a bit closer and placed her hand above his on the umbrella handle. "Even though it's a tragedy… those who survive it move and grow past it. They become strong and wise and are bettered because of it."

Kira nodded. "We were just children, just like these turtles I guess," he spoke up. "I was constantly reminded of that. I have my parents, so it's hard for me to understand…"

"You've lost as much as any of us Kira," Lacus cut in, wisdom and warmth filling her voice. "And you've suffered more."

The teenage boy flinched and she squeezed his hand in as comforting manner.

"It's truly amazing though, even though it's sad. Once they're on their own, they know where to go and what to do. It's all built in."

After a hesitant moment, she wrapped her other arm around his in return. "And once they grow up, because of what's happened to them, they know how to survive and move on."

Pushing a rain soaked piece of hair out of her face, she gave him an encouraging smile. "As you've been doing, and I know you'll continue to do."

"Lacus…"

Deep down, he didn't know what he would do without her. She was the healer of his heart and comfort to his wounded soul. And she was right, and she did this just by being herself, her pure and genuine self and nothing else.

"Look there he goes!" Lacus exclaimed.

Indeed, the turtle whose journey that had been following had reached the edge of the waves and was being carried away by the ocean's tide.

"Do you think he'll make it Kira?" she asked, sudden worry overcoming her.

Nodding he surveyed the vast ocean of blue in front of them. It was just one tiny turtle in an immense underwater world, full of more peril and strife than benevolence.

_Do I think he'll make it?_

Reaching over and wrapping his other arm around her, he answered. "He will, I _know_ he will."

* * *

**--End--**


End file.
